Matty Ballin

[BOZO]

Hodges missed a grand total of 2 according to NRL.com. I think he was fine in attack today.

He was also dragged along like a ragged maroon and white doll for most of the tackles that I seen him make

Hodges was solid but not great today but Ballin looked 10 times sharper and that was/is the point.

Between the both of them they ran 8 times for almost 100m, when Ballin playes 80 minutes he runs 3 or 4 times for about 20m.

Hodges has now played 3 times this year for 2 wins, he cant be hurting us that much

Api wont hurt us at all .

 

[naw017]

Was a different Ballin today and great to see - felt the pressure and easily outplayed his backup - credit where credit due I have egg on my face and smiling for it

 

[Manlyfan_99]

Hodges was solid but not great today but Ballin looked 10 times sharper and that was/is the point.

Between the both of them they ran 8 times for almost 100m, when Ballin playes 80 minutes he runs 3 or 4 times for about 20m.

Hodges has now played 3 times this year for 2 wins, he cant be hurting us that much

Wouldn't say Hodges was solid, bombed a try and got in Sao's way in the line break. I can see why 2v has held him back

 

[Fluffy]

Was a different Ballin today and great to see - felt the pressure and easily outplayed his backup - credit where credit due I have egg on my face and smiling for it

This is the Ballin we have always had but he does not have the stamina to play that high intensity for 80 minutes. When Le Strange chipped in Matty played like this and hopefully he gets the opportunity to keep playing 50 minutes

 

[Merdy33]

Wouldn't say Hodges was solid, bombed a try and got in Sao's way in the line break. I can see why 2v has held him back

He got in Sao's way because he was there backing up. If he'd got that ball down over the line we'd be wrapping him.
He didn't show his best today, but I think that's because he probably thinks he only has the one week to make an impression. Toovey should let him know he has a few games to impress and won't be dropped on one performance. That way he might slow it down a bit and show what I think he could do.
Matt has been a solid performer for us over the years but when we wonder why our forwards are dominated, it's because he puts no pressure on the markers. They know he'll just shovel it to the next forward running through, and if he does run, the defensive line will easily round him up.
Someone said he played well today. For him, yes. But for Smith, Farrah, Luke, Api, Ennis, mcCullouch, Friend etc, it would have been a very average effort.

 

[Manlyfan_99]

He got in Sao's way because he was there backing up. If he'd got that ball down over the line we'd be wrapping him.
He didn't show his best today, but I think that's because he probably thinks he only has the one week to make an impression. Toovey should let him know he has a few games to impress and won't be dropped on one performance. That way he might slow it down a bit and show what I think he could do.
Matt has been a solid performer for us over the years but when we wonder why our forwards are dominated, it's because he puts no pressure on the markers. They know he'll just shovel it to the next forward running through, and if he does run, the defensive line will easily round him up.
Someone said he played well today. For him, yes. But for Smith, Farrah, Luke, Api, Ennis, mcCullouch, Friend etc, it would have been a very average effort.

Fair enough, I haven't had the chance to watch the replay yet. Just thought he tried to do too much. However, I think the way Toovey rotated Matty and Hodges today could work for the rest of the season

 

[Top End Eagle]

He was also dragged along like a ragged maroon and white doll for most of the tackles that I saw him atte

Api wont hurt us at all .

Bozo drop it. He's a decent player. He hasn't been brought through well by a coach who can see his potential. He has never been told 'mate you've gotvthirty minutes a game for this whole year so feel your way into first grade' so he is trying a bit too hard when he gets that chance. MB played like a bloke who realised he is about to get shunted if he didn't show a bit more.

And manly won.

 

[Merdy33]

Fair enough, I haven't had the chance to watch the replay yet. Just thought he tried to do too much. However, I think the way Toovey rotated Matty and Hodges today could work for the rest of the season

I agree that he tried too hard. That was my point. If he slows it up because he knows he has time to impress, then we might see a different game from him.
I also agree that there's room for both of them this year.

 

[BOZO]

Bozo drop it. He's a decent player. He hasn't been brought through well by a coach who can see his potential. He has never been told 'mate you've gotvthirty minutes a game for this whole year so feel your way into first grade' so he is trying a bit too hard when he gets that chance. MB played like a bloke who realised he is about to get shunted if he didn't show a bit more.

And manly won.

If he is a decent player our club has signed a more dynamic hooker in Api
Who do you keep for 2016 Ballin or Hodges ? .... Over to you

 

[Snake]

All I know for certain is there are two facets to the game of rugby league; attack and defence. It's all well and good to judge Hodges on his work with ball, but there was a noticeable slip in our intensity and tightness around the middle of the ruck when Ballin went off.

I'm not crucifying Hodges and I do think he has a real dig (you cannot knock a guy for a having a dig), but it's no good if he comes on to create things in attack, only to also let the opposition trample their way upfield with minimal resistance. I have no problem with him being picked again, but I think today highlights just how outstanding Matt Ballin is in defence.

 

[wombatgc]

Wouldn't say Hodges was solid, bombed a try and got in Sao's way in the line break. I can see why 2v has held him back

Geez it's only one game...give him half the chances that hasson has had and then see how he's travelling...

 

[the mauler]

Hooker rotation worked well yesterday. Ballin was sharper due to him not having to play 80 minutes.
Hodges was ok, far from his best game and was guilty of trying too hard.
Tooves will hopefully stick with them for the rest of the year.

 

[Ralphie]

All I know for certain is there are two facets to the game of rugby league; attack and defence. It's all well and good to judge Hodges on his work with ball, but there was a noticeable slip in our intensity and tightness around the middle of the ruck when Ballin went off.

I'm not crucifying Hodges and I do think he has a real dig (you cannot knock a guy for a having a dig), but it's no good if he comes on to create things in attack, only to also let the opposition trample their way upfield with minimal resistance. I have no problem with him being picked again, but I think today highlights just how outstanding Matt Ballin is in defence.

Ballin 18 tackles, 2 missed
Hodges 27 tackles, 2 missed

Yep, clearly Hodges is defensively inferior.

 

[Fluffy]

The intensity in defence dropped when Jake went off at the same time who is a bigger hitter than Ballin.

It was also the time that the refs decided the 16th placed team should not be toweling up the 9th placed team as it is a bad look for the game and gave the sharks 5 penalties in 15 minutes all bar one for ruck subjective issues

 

[Beaver boy]

Doesn't Ballin have an option for the second year of his contract?

He should retire gracefully as 'The times, they are a changin'

 

[hozza]

It was a good thing they BOTH played, gave Matty a rest and gave hodges a chance to prove himself. Now personally I thought hodges had an average game BUT I'm happy for him to play next week cause Matty is simply not an 80min player anymore.
I watched Api closely on fri night and he will be one of our hookers next year, for sure. I think Matty and Api will combine to be our hookers next year, with Api taking the majority of minutes.
One thing is for sure, competition for starting spots is vital to a successful team. Look at Matty played much better with hodges coming on and the fact he knows Api is coming.......

 

[Brothers manly]

Good points Hozza.......

 

[The Who]

All I know for certain is there are two facets to the game of rugby league; attack and defence. It's all well and good to judge Hodges on his work with ball, but there was a noticeable slip in our intensity and tightness around the middle of the ruck when Ballin went off.

I'm not crucifying Hodges and I do think he has a real dig (you cannot knock a guy for a having a dig), but it's no good if he comes on to create things in attack, only to also let the opposition trample their way upfield with minimal resistance. I have no problem with him being picked again, but I think today highlights just how outstanding Matt Ballin is in defence.

Have another look at the match. You'll see that Hodges made some great tackles.

 

[rmd]

Unfortunately I couldn't be at the game as I was driving back to Sydney from the bush but listened to the call on the ABC and Matthew Elliot, a coach I respect despite his lack of major success, was saying that the fluency of service from dummy half dropped right off when Matty B was replaced given the backs less room.

 

[Snake]

Ballin 18 tackles, 2 missed
Hodges 27 tackles, 2 missed

Yep, clearly Hodges is defensively inferior.

how do you account for line-speed, dominant contact, and defensive reads that can affect the players inside and outside the defender, in your statistics? The middle is a unit and effective defending is a lot more than the number of tackles and missed tackles. I can remember one tackle where Hodges was holding onto the leg of Fafita for 5 metres before the guy got up and played the ball quickly allowing for a "roll-on"...that won't show up in your statistics! There are so many variables to this argument, that it borders on ridiculous for you to provide a counter argument with so little substance and then top it off with a silly emoticon implying that I have no idea.

We should be able to have a difference of opinion without the childish sarcasm.